Main lanes of US-59/I-69 reopen after weekend closure caused chaos along Southwest Freeway
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Drivers, we've got some great news! Crews completed roadwork Sunday ahead of schedule, allowing all main lanes of I-69 Southwest Freeway northbound at I-610 West Loop to be reopened.
TxDOT originally stated that roadwork wouldn't be completed until Monday morning, but luckily officials said they were able to finish before the weekend ended.
During the closure, thousands of vehicles slowed to a crawl in southwest Houston as the construction forced a complete closure of the main lanes of US-59/I-69 this weekend. Some of them decided they just couldn't wait to get through the congestion.
Multiple drivers were seen Saturday morning making U-turns and driving the wrong way on freeway on-ramps to get out of the mess.
Video from Houston TranStar cameras showed the attempts along US-59 in the northbound lanes as drivers waited to get through the ordeal.
This traffic hot spot has become known for weekend and nightly construction closures.
The weekend construction required all main lanes of US-59 to be closed in both directions.
While wrong-way driving is a dangerous risk, it can also be costly if you're caught.
In Texas, driving the wrong way on a highway exit ramp could cost you as much as $200 in fines if found guilty.
The closure was to allow construction crews to continue rebuilding the ramp from US-59 northbound to I-610 northbound, which stretches over the Southwest Freeway.
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